Lord Kharg is impetuous but a warrior of resolution. Some, like his mother, try to protect him for reasons unknown to the prince of a deposed monarchy.

Then there is Maru, self-proclaimed king of Chaos Forest. A young man who bears many of the marks of the wonderful and rich anime artwork has been left alone, and yet these two unlikely individuals find themselves paired up to fight a battle in the early stages of Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits, a PlayStation 2 release from SCEA and Cattle Call.

This is a game that is beautiful to look at, and it combines elements of turn-based combat and role play. There are a host of amazing creatures, an evolving and immersive storyline that leads players down a wondrous path of adventure.

The story begins in Yewbell, where Kharg is training to take over command of the Defense Corps. He will one day succeed Commander Lloyd but before that can happen, miners - who are collecting the precious spirit stones (which help power Yewbell) - are attacked by Deimos, a race of mutated creatures that are at odds with humankind. The Defense Corps rush to the rescue, all but Kharg, who is ostensibly left behind to guard the town.

Thus begins the quest to solve the minor puzzle about how to get out of town. He must find Duncan, who is hiding in plain sight, secure a key that leads to the old castle ruins and leave by that method. Along the way he meets up with Maru, and the two continue the trek.

They do, eventually, run into a variety of Deimos. And when Commander Lloyd is killed, Kharg vows that he will protect the realm til the end.

But what is really behind this, and how does the strange adventurer/explorer fit into the picture.

The story itself has some nice twists and turns, though the narration is a little weak in places. But at the core of the game, advanced through a host of well-designed cutscenes, is a wonderfully deep plot. It has seemingly divergent tales that mesh nicely as the game evolves.

For instance, why does the Deimos Darc bear a similar tattoo on his right bicep as Kharg?

The review build of the game received did not come with a manual, and guesses had to be made on control elements. However, most of these were straightforward and after a learning curve of 20-30 minutes, it all fell into place.

The graphics are amazing - rich and detailed with wonderful special effects and superb environments. This is a game that is rich in imagination, and each scene breathes life into the overall game.

The combat is turn-based and you can form up a party. However, experience earned in combat is not shared by all the party members. You can level up and acquire new skills as you advance.

The sound of the game is very good. The vocal acting is solid, and the music is excellent. If there is a weakness, it lays in some of the sound effects. Walking through the world is akin to clumping through land - the old Clydesdale Horses on cobbled streets sound.

Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits looks good, plays well and is intriguing. This is a well-designed program that takes the best of the style of role-playing games it is based on and expands it into an enjoyable adventure. This is the type of game that is hard to stop playing because you want to see where the path will lead next.

Graphics: 9
This game is lush, and wonderfully rendered. The overall look of the game is fresh, bright and refreshing. The animation is a little wooden in places, but that is a rarity.

Sound: 7.5
Most of the sound elements are good, but there are some problems with the walking effects and the lip-synching is way, way off.

Difficulty: Medium
The game is generally not that difficult. This game came without manual support and that made it a little rough initially to figure out the controls, as they are not exactly intuitive. But the combat is turn-based and movement-based, and the enemies, especially initially, are not that tough. The puzzles are rather simplistic as well.

Concept: 8.4
The storyline is excellent and the look of the game is as well. The controls may take some getting used to, but the overall design of the game is superb.

Overall: 8.2
This game has some exceptional elements, such as the graphics and the multiple threads of the storyline, but it also has some setbacks - most notably in the sound and the simplistic puzzles. While the voice acting, aside from the synching problems, is generally good, the dialogue seems a little forced at times. However, Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits, is certainly entertaining and a real treat for the eyes.